The City of Ember, A Different Ending
by saphirita roe
Summary: Just like what the title says!
1. Chapter 1

Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow had never felt the rush of nerves and anxiety be as strong as now. As they were heading toward they thought was the exit to a world filled with natural light and warmth, both of them kept thinking about the same question, will we ever see our families again? As they came near the Pipeworks, they had to stop worrying and start using their brains.

"Doon! I have horrible news to tell you and it's all my fault," whispered Lina as they approached the doorway that was the opening to their journey to a new world.

He stared at her with worried eyes that kept flickering from her to the city behind her as if in any second, there would be people speeding toward them to seize them and seal the doom of Ember for good.

"While I was running to the greenhouses, the guards saw me and they caught me. They took me to the Gathering Hall and... and that dreadful mayor came in. I tried _so _hard to not let my anger out; you should have seen the way he spoke about us, saying that we were just silly little, un-loyal children with a foolish hope. Before they could take me to the Prison Room, the lights went out. It was just a complete darkness. I felt so fortunate and lucky about the blackout for once, it felt like someone flicked the lights off for me so I could escape. I... I was so frightened that I wouldn't be able to go back to where we decided to meet, there was thumping and yelling. When I reached the top of the building, the lights came back on. I had noticed that the guards ran into the mob of people. I was going to start running to Clary's but they started singing _The Song of City_. I couldn't help but stop and listen to them sing. I started to realize how wrong the lyrics were, 'citizens with sturdy hearts' and 'stored abundance.' I began to slowly back away, it was so tempting to just shout out that there was an exit to this dying city but I knew that it wouldn't work; there would be too many people, some would get trampled. Oh, Doon. Now I just feel so guilty, I'm afraid that this will turn out to be the biggest regret of my life if only me, you and Poppy live. This-"

"Did I just hear you correctly? _Poppy _is with us? Your little sister, Poppy? Lina, this will just make our lives so much harder! Have you ever thought about the danger you're going to put her in, you'll just loose her! What if she falls out of the boat? She will get washed away!" a chagrined Doon exclaimed.

"Please, Doon, listen to me! What if we never come back? I'll never see Poppy again and she's all I have left," pleaded Lina.

"I'll think about it. How about you finish that story of yours?" responded Doon.

"I won't let you leave Poppy behind," said Lina. "I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, that we have to leave now. The guards will be looking for us; they aren't that dull, you know. Do you have everything? Doon? Doon!"

Doon didn't hear what Lina had just said. He was staring in Lina's direction but not at Lina. Instead he was looking beyond where Lina was staring. He could hear the faint footsteps but they got louder and louder as they came closer. The guards were wearing their black camouflage outfits with shiny, black boots so they blended in perfectly with the dark. The soldiers sometimes acted almost like carnivorous animals. They seemed to hunt you down without you suspecting anything. You were the prey and you wouldn't have a single glance at them, until they pounced on you, right before you approached your death.

"Run! I'll take Poppy! Follow me and try not to make any noise!" screamed Doon.

He lifted Poppy up into his arms and told her to hold on him tightly as he ran down the winding street. Lina looked over her shoulder before she started to sprint toward Doon and she realized that she had over-estimated the squad, they were close enough to see her but it seemed like she was invisible. They couldn't see her at all. Lina started to bolt after Doon with a little less uneasiness weighing down on her. The lights started to quiver again and just as Lina caught up with Doon and Poppy, the lights went out, again.

Out in the distance, you could somewhat hear the worried cries of the people at the Gathering Hall. The Believers started singing their songs about the Builders coming to save them once more. Doon lowered Poppy gently onto the pavement. He slid his backpack off his shoulders and used his fingers to find a thin object with a smooth, silky surface. When the candle was found, he began searching for his clear rectangular box that was filled with matches. When he finally had both of the materials he needed, he took once match, whipped it back and forth a few times in the air until a small flame was created. He carefully lighted the candle and held it between his and Lina's face.

"We have to take Poppy back to your house. The guards won't want her, they only want us. If they see her with us, we will make her wanted as well," Doon stated. "We'll be able to travel much faster and efficiently and there will be one less person to worry about. Besides, won't Mrs. Murdo be home?"

So it was agreed that Poppy would stay in Ember and then, they could finally go into the Pipeworks and find out what would lay ahead of them.

As they approached Lina's apartment, Lina quietly said, "Let me do the talking."

Doon felt guilt rise up his throat and he tried to swallow it down but he knew it was the right and safe thing to do.

Lina took Poppy by the hand and took a good look at her before saying, "Mrs. Murdo?" I've got to go somewhere with Doon and I'm going to leave Poppy with you." Even as she said it, she knew there was no one home. She did it to soothe Poppy and assure her that someone would be there for her. "Poppy, listen to me. Doon and I have to go on an important mission; it might help us and the other people of Ember. Promise me that you will stay here and won't go anywhere until Mrs. Murdo comes home. The lights will soon come back on and it'll be alright. Give me your word that you will not wander off."  
Lina slowly walked out of her home when she was satisfied by Poppy's promise of not leaving the house. Tears started to form around her eyes as she looked back at the home she had come to know ever since her granny had died unexpectedly.  
She looked at Doon in the eye and murmured, "It's time."


	2. Chapter 2

Just as they took one step, the ground began to tremble. The lights went on and off and this time, you could clearly hear people screaming, they had never experienced anything like it.

"Poppy! I've got to go get her!" shouted Lina over the rumbling.

"No! Poppy can handle herself! She isn't who you think she is!" Doon hollered back. "Take my hand! We have to go!"

Lina knew it either now or never. At the last second, she decided to follow Doon, just before the ground split between her shoes. She didn't look back, it would kill her heart if she saw her home collapse in front of her, just like some of the shops on the same street did. If she did glance back, for just one second, she would've seen green light burst throughthe glass windows.

"Where are we going, Doon? If we go to the Pipeworks, we will die!" yelled Lina. "Put the container you made over the candle so we can see where we're going, we need light! Light!"

Once the candle was in its clear case, Doon started to frantically think about the dreadful decision he needed to make. Should we follow the map? What if it leads to nowhere? Oh, I should have told Lina about the map so I could have known what she'd think about it. The map _has _to lead somewhere, maybe the builders put it there! It's too late now to ask her.

His last thoughts before his decision kept appearing in his head, he knew the consequences they'd face, the stories of the people who'd gone into the Unknown Regions made him nervous and apprehensive about entering the land where the darkness tangible but he knew he wouldn't be facing it alone.

"We aren't going to the Pipeworks! We have to go out of Ember, there are cracks on the floor and the land is beginning to diverge. Getting out of here is the only way out! You have got to trust me on this!I have a-"

As Doon was about to tell Lina the secret he had kept for so long, a building was falling in front of them. There wasn't anyone in it, but seeing it tumble down into pieces was terrifying enough for them. It seemed as if time had slowed and Doon and Lina were in the middle of it. The beams that gave the building its shape gave way to the force and terror that was tearing their beloved city apart. The building shook and throbbed back and forth before it finally fell onto one side. Furniture, photos and other poccessions flew out of thewindows, breaking them along the way. One picture swayed back and forth, landing on the ground gently, right in front of Doon. It showed a family laughing together as they celebrated their son's assigned job. Doon was painfully reminded of his childhood when his mother was alive. He knew that he could really use her advice right now, she was the right sort of person to ask questions you were confused on.

Doon noticed that the street on their right had not yet been attacked by the movement of the ground. "Lina, this way!" he yelled. "We have to go straight ahead."

What they both saw straight ahead was absolute darkness. They could only see what was right in front of them, the candle's glow was not that bright nor strong. The street lights had still not yet come back on and the floor was still shaking.

"Doon, run!" Lina screamed as a building was about to fall onto them.

They both kept on running as their hearts pounded wildly with fear but they never stopped once, even when the sudden cold, bitter air bit and pinched at their cheeks. The darkness swallowed them whole and Ember kept fading and fading until it was just a tiny dot with lights going on and off.


	3. Chapter 3

Doon knew that his perspicacity of the Unknown Regions wasn't great but his instincts told him that it was the right decision. Besides, they had nowhere to go. Walking back to the city would be like walking into death's hands. Sadly, he had no idea about the world beyond his home, but he had no choice.  
"Lina, let's stop here," Doon whispered as he gasped for air. He felt very ill and before he knew it, he was falling down until he reached the ground with a hard thump and blacked out.  
The next day, Doon found himself lying next to a new candle, the old one must have worn out, he thought. He blinked for a few seconds before the memories of yesterday came flooding back to him. The fear he felt, the shock that made him run, Doon never thought something so devastating would happen during his lifetime. He shook his head, trying to organize his thoughts and form a plan.

"Well, Doon. Where are we off to? I was looking at your map _that you never told me about_ while you were still asleep, and it says that there's a ladder that should somehow lead us out of here. But the question is, what if this map is just a trick? What if it's meant to fool us? I mean, there's no way we could ever know for certain that this information is genuinely real and true, and you don't even know how you got your hands on it do you? " questioned Lina.

"I actually do remember how I found the map. It was wedged between an unused door down in the Pipeworks," Doon replied coldy. "I guess there's only one way to find out whether it's true or false."

"I suppose your right. We better get moving along. The faster we find out where this map leads up to, the faster we can get back and tell everyone," stated Lina.

Unfortunately, when Doon and Lina looked down at the thick parchment, it was worn and faded as if had been touched by generations of people who all had one goal in mind, escaping Ember once and for all. The shadows flickered back and forth, in sync with the flame of the candle. If you looked closely, you would notice that the letters that formed the words were very much unlike the messy scrawls of the citizens. The words were elegantly written or rather typed since each letter was the same size. Only The Builders could've made this, the machines they had used in the past were long gone, lost in time.

Studying the paper carefully, there was a red arrow that showed the direction they were supposed to go in. To help you figure out where you were going, it had certain landmarks that you could help you identify if you were going in course. One of the features was the Cave of the Light. Neither had ever heard of it before, but both were determined to locate it. The name of the cave gave them a good feeling. _Goodness and victories always are sided with light, and trouble goes with darkness, right? _Lina thought.

"The Cave of Light... Maybe the cave will be lit! You never know," Doon said thoughtfully.

Lina just nodded her head, unsure of what to say in response. She didn't want to break Doon's hopes though, the more she thought about it, the more her idea about this Cave of Light seemed reasonable. It must be near the exit that leads to the world above- where there is light? Shaking her head, she didn't think it was possible. She didn't want to have too much hope in a place they'd never seen or heard of before, and only have them broken.

Sighing, she knelt down to the ground, gathering the materials that she used yesterday to create makeshift beds and a fire. She thrust the reusable items back into her bag, it was time to get going, and start the next phase, the hardest phase, of their journey.


	4. Chapter 4

So on they went, trying to follow the directions in the never-ending darkness. They both were worn out by all the action, and minute by minute, they were losing hope. Their hearts were beginning to slowly droop as they never saw one of the marks. Lina kept thinking about Poppy. She knew, in her heart, that she should never have listened to Doon. Poppy was probably dead, and Lina could feel herself slowly dying inside. She had lost her last connection to her family all because of Doon. She would never forgive Doon. Lina felt her anger growing inside of her body, her hands were trembling and her eyebrows were furrowed. She gave a hard stare at her map and then her surroundings, as if that would make a mark on the map show up.

_ Doon Harrow, once we're done with this, and everyone's all happy and whatnot, I'll show you a piece of me. I was a complete idiot to listen to you. _Lina though guiltily in her mind. But she brushed away that guilt and replaced it with anger. Why had she ever even liked-

If only Lina hadn't attempted to go to the greenhouses. Her thoughts were in a whirlwind after that, she couldn't think straight with all those guards chasing after her. After her frustration settled down a bit, she knew Doon was right. Poppy would have not been able to make this journey. It was better to leave her at home. It gave Lina a boost of determination to find the way the Builders were talking about, another reason why she had to find the Cave of Light.

Doon was thinking completely different thoughts. He may have been losing faith in their journey, but he wasn't going to stop until he gave it all he had. Hopefully, his dad would be proud after he saw his son had saved Ember, assuming that he was still alive. Doon knew it was a selfish thought, but he strived for perfection. As a kid, he had always dreamed of doing something big like this, you couldn't really blame him. His fascination in engineering taught him to always be an open person and consider new ideas. If the Builders knew what they were talking about, this would be a new start for all them, a place where they could finally live without having to constantly worry about blackouts or food shortages. Doon wanted to see this new world; he wanted it to be real. He would give anything to get out of here, this place in a sea of darkness.

"Hey! What-what is that over -?" shouted Doon as his voice got muffled by the sand in his mouth. He had tripped over something, what was it?

He lowered his candle, and he saw a dirty, red, leather diary sticking out of the mound of miniscule brown sand. Picking it up, he brushed it, and the book opened with a crisp crackle. Inside it said, _The Diary of_. The last word was crossed out in ink.

"Look what I found, this may be some help to us!" Doon exclaimed loudly, breaking the silence. "Lina? Lina?"

He turned around in a full circle. She was nowhere to be found. That girl was going to be the death of him someday. Holding his light as far out as he possibly could, he saw a dark shadow walking toward the light- no, it wasn't his light, it was the cave's light. Doon scooped up the diary, flung his belongings over his shoulder, and started sprinting toward the source.

"NO! Don't touch it, Lina!" hollered Doon. But it was too late, Lina had touched the locket that somehow managed to stay suspended in the air without any support. A blinding bright light washed across the cave, and over across to Doon. As soon as the strange light was gone, Doon opened his eyes. Lina was sprawled across the floor.

Then, it happened so fast that Doon almost didn't catch it. A small light erupted from Lina's heart, and faster than a blink of an eye, she was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

_You bloody idiot, Lina! _Doon thought in a frustrated manner. _I should've known better than to fall behind you. You were always a curious child._

Now, he was alone, all by himself in this seemingly never-ending darkness. Ideas of what he could possibly do were running quickly through his mind. He furrowed his eyebrows, and sat down onto the ground. Eager to discover what the floor was composed of, he swept his hand over the sediment. Surprisingly, he felt a smooth yet warm surface. Back in Ember, there was no such thing; he became unsure of what it could possibly be.

He shook his head, and told himself that if he was to ever see Lina or Ember again, he needed to start thinking immediately. There was absolutely no space for daydreaming or anything else really. The people of Ember were in danger, and the worst part was that most didn't suspect a thing. It was a wonder that most believed they were safe forever. Light bulbs went out more and more often, there were food shortages of many items they depended on, and yet, they refused to find a way to get out of that place. Doon understood that in the past, multiple people did actually try, but all came back with no results and unusual stories of monstrous beasts that lurked in the dark.

There was no way he could let his father down now. If the city was to die out, and he was the only one to live, Doon could never live with himself with that small piece of knowledge inside of him, knowing that he, Doon Harrow, the boy who had once been full of ideas, had failed his people. Of course, he could hide this part of him if he was to ever discover a new city somewhere and settle down, but he knew he would not be the same. It would come up again and again until his death. No joy that came to him would last for too long.

A few ideas began to form in Doon's mind, but he knew that none of them except one would work. His only option was to follow Lina's steps to find her, to go into the cave, into the light, and reappear at wherever Lina went. Even though his schooling was quite limited to certain topics, he knew it went against the laws of the universe. It wasn't possible to just simply disappear. Again, he reminded himself that it was for the good the people. No matter what laid beyond the light and the cave, he had to do it. He had to conquer his fears.

Doon felt somewhat ashamed of himself, ashamed that he hadn't been right behind Lina. If he was, he would have been right next to her to protect her. He felt as if he was just tagging along, being no help to Lina.

Rummaging through his pack, he took out a few sheets to form a pillow and a blanket. He lowered himself onto the floor. As he stared upwards, he wondered what else could be out there. Were those stories of all the fantastical creatures and cities with light that didn't need to be powered true? He wearied his mind thinking about them until his eyes fluttered and finally closed shut.


End file.
